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Princeflex
The Princeflex (プリンスフレックス) and Prince Junior (プリンスジュニア) are Japanese 6×6 TLR cameras, distributed from 1953 to 1956 by Misuzu Shōkai and made by Tōyō Seiki Kōgaku and perhaps later by Cosmo Camera Seisakusho. The postwar Princeflex has no resemblance to the 1937 Prince Flex. Lewis, p. 82, says that the Princeflex is "a revived prewar design" but this is a mistake. (See the Prince page for a discussion of the various cameras with that name.) Maker Advertisements dated September 1953 and September 1954 say that the Princeflex was made by Tōyō Seiki Kōgaku, later advertisements for the Prince Junior dated September and October 1955 and January 1956 do not give the maker's name. It seems that Tōyō Seiki Kōgaku, which was also the maker of the Elbowflex and Elbow Six, changed its name for Cosmo Camera Seisakusho (Kosumo Kamera Seisakusho) in mid-1955. It is thus probable that the Prince Junior was made by Cosmo. All the advertisements consistently mention the distributor Mima Shōkai. The name "Prince Camera Works" (プリンスカメラワークス, Purinsu Kamera Wākusu) is added above the distributor's name, often associated with a stylized "PCW" logo — just like advertisements for the prewar Prince models. Many sources interpret this as another maker name, For example , item 2225, and , p. 803, mention a company called "Prince Camera Co.", which is probably an imaginary back-translation of プリンスカメラワークス. but it is most probable that "Prince Camera Works" was not the name of any actual company and was only used in advertising, as was certainly the case before 1945. Versions The original Princeflex has only been observed in this page at yume_camera. There is a picture of what is probably a prototype (s/n 1001), marked TOYOSEIKI OPT.CO.LTD. under the Princeflex name plate. According to the description given, it has knob advance controlled via a red window, and it can also take 4.5×6 pictures with a mask. Focusing is by a knob on the right side, sliding the whole front plate. The shutter release is at the bottom left of the front plate, with a release lock. This camera has Luminar 8cm/3.5 lenses and a TSK shutter (B, 1–200). It was advertised in Japanese photography magazines for about a year starting from the August 1953 issues; the price was ¥17,000. The Princeflex II has semi-automatic film advance rather than red windows, and has Super Luminar lenses (also 8cm/3.5). It cost ¥18,000. It was advertised in Japanese photo magazines dated from September 1954 to April 1955. The Prince Junior was marketed as a less expensive camera (¥9,500). It has semi-automatic film advance with an exposure counter but no double exposure prevention. There is an accessory shoe on the left plate. It has J-Luminar 8cm/3.5 viewing and taking lenses and a Ceres shutter (B, 1–300). also mentions a Rectus shutter, and shows a picture of a camera with PRINCE JUNIOR written in uppercase and a body shape different from those shown in the links below. It was advertised in Japanese photo magazines dated from September 1955 to April 1956. It has been observed with a double lens cap, in chrome with Prince engraved on the top part. It is possible that the Elbowflex is the same camera: they look very similar and clearly share parts. Sources / Further reading * Items 792–4. * Pp. 82 and 88 (brief mentions only). * P. 803. * Item 2225. Links In English: * Page about various Japanese TLRs, including the Prince Junior, at tlr-cameras.com, there is a discussion of the various Prince cameras In Japanese: * Prince Junior page and Princeflex table at Japan Family Camera * Prince Flex and Princeflex at yume_camera Category: Japanese 6x6 TLR Category: P